Thanksgiving 2014, Day 6

[stefan]

With flatiron steak and baked potatoes we drank

2001 Gruaud-Larose. “Smells like ’02 St. Innocent Seven Springs,” says stefanJr. Yesterday he thought that a Brunello smelled of selenium and now this. I think that it is a lovely wine, on the elegant side of St. Julien. stefanJr continues, “More fruit than I expected”. He is thinking of G-L from the ‘70s and ‘80s. stefan 92. Lucie 94. stefanJr 90. Mule 90. Irena 92.

1996 Leoville Barton. Initially stefanJr does not like the green pepper in this wine, but later he says that it has diminished and that the wine is fine. This is definitely a steak wine, with pencil lead and plenty of tannin. “The nose is beautiful,” says Lucie, “it is lovely, soft, and floral; maybe tea roses.” :The tannins are very strong; the wine needs the steak,” comments Irena. Indeed, this is a steak wine at this time. s 92. L 90. M 92. I 91. sJr 91-92.

1998 La Pointe. This tasted softer when I tasted the wine, but at dinner it had mouth coating tannins. 1998 right bank wines may last until the next millennium. “Like eating a steak with no meat; it is a steak dessert,” observes stefanJr. It is very good with panforte and St. Simeon Brie. s 89. sJr 90. L 90. M 90. I 92.

All but Irena, who loves Pomerol more than pomerollover [Jeff Leve], thought that the St. Juliens outclassed the La Pointe. stefanJr criticized me for not rating the Leoville-Barton above the Gruaud-Larose. He had his points—-the L-B was more complex and more concentrated. I bumped up the G-L score because it captured the St. Julien elegance and, while considerably lighter than the L-B, was perfectly balanced.

[DavidG]

What does selenium smell like? And don't tell me Brunello...

Sounds like some nice Bordeaux there Stefan. I'm still holding my 1996 Leoville Barton. Sounds like it could use a few more years.

[stefan]

Yes, the '96 Barton is not mature. It will outlive me and probably also you.

I dunno how to describe the smell of the that Brunello. Certainly there was chemical element to it, but I cannot describe it.